Tucson Before his team faced its first pitch in today’s cactus league opener, Rockies manager Clint Hurdle threw a curveball, flip-flopping Todd Helton and Matt Holliday in the batting order.

Helton will hit cleanup, followed by Holliday in the fifth hole. The decision was made earlier this week. Though subject to change, they were left with the impression that change was not temporary.

Splitting up the right-handed hitting Garrett Atkins, the No. 3 hitter, and the right-handed Holliday was the explanation given. It’s a strategy that is geared toward the late innings, forcing teams to burn more relievers if they want to match up lefty-lefty and righty-righty, particularly with the left-handed batting Hawpe slotted in the sixth hole.

At last season’s end, Hurdle talked of how Holliday had established himself as a cleanup hitter. The first-time all-star flourished from that spot last a year ago, hitting .334 with 24 home runs and 82 RBIs in a team-high 121 games.

From the fifth spot, Holliday batted .286 with 6 home runs and 19 RBIs. Helton long had the foothold in the third spot before struggling last season that led Hurdle to experiment with the first baseman, batting him everywhere from second to fifth. Helton hit cleanup only once a year ago, but is a career .344 hitter from that spot in 1,118 at-bats.

Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.

Troy is a former Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies beat writer for The Denver Post. He joined the news organization in 2002 as the Rockies' beat writer and became a Broncos beat writer in 2014 before assuming the lead role ahead of the 2015 season. He left The Post in 2015.

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